The 16-bit v/s 8-bit Blind Listening Test

Can you hear the difference? Of course... you can't.

This provocative test serves two purposes: to raise the awareness of what has happened to our music's dynamic range lately, and to question the need for a 24-bit digital audio as a delivery format in such a context.

Differences between 8-bit audio files and 16-bit are audible though - and are demonstrated here - but only marginally when it comes to most of the music that people are listening to nowadays.

Files being tested

One of the world's biggest modern hits - Psy's Gangnam Style
- with its original 16-bit version, and its 8-bit down-converted sibling.